Eleven suspected cattle thieves busted

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Crime and Courts

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Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK - One of the most notorious livestock thieves of Namibia, Clifford Fisch was arrested on Monday night after a high-speed chase by farmer Rainer Ling of the Cowdray Hunting Ranch, 24 km north of Uhlenhorst. It is estimated that Fisch is responsible for the theft of more than 600 small stock units in the past two years. He appeared in the magistrate’s court yesterday in Windhoek. He remains in custody as police investigates various charges against him and 10 other cattle thieves.
Ling yesterday related to New Era how he on Monday night followed the suspect vehicle with the reg No. N 4469 R on the C25 leading to Rehoboth.
“Stock theft has reached unprecedented levels in our area and in one case a neighbour of mine lost 200 sheep in one night. On the way, I ordered back-up and we tried to stop another suspect vehicle with the reg no. N 2715 R- this vehicle refused to stop and we gave chase. By radio message, the road was blocked on the farm Kous. When the vehicle with the registration number, N 2715 R approached the roadblock around a bend, the driver very suddenly pulled the vehicle off the road once he saw that he was only 150 m away from the roadblock - the suspect fled the scene together with another Damara speaking suspect. Allegedly the driver who fled the scene was nobody else than Clifford Fisch who was arrested on the same farm Kous two years ago and who managed to successfully avoid any judicial sentences connected to this former incident,” Ling told New Era.
He says the owner of the vehicle a certain Brendell took over the wheel from Fisch and drove into the roadblock. Two sheep were thrown out of the car at the stage when Fisch disembarked from the vehicle and were recovered the same night following a search.
The vehicle has been impounded by the Dordabis police. According to a confirmed report by the investigation officer, Fisch was detained in Rehoboth early on Tuesday evening, and he and other 10 suspects have been charged with stock theft right at this moment in Windhoek.
“The other vehicle in suspicion with registration No. N 4469 R passed the roadblock when we interrogated the first three suspects. We informed the police in Rehoboth and they stopped the vehicle. They found 16 alive Dorper sheep in the car- these sheep were identified with the aid of the stock brand on the ear tags as originating from the farm Kaukerus in the Uhlenhorst area. The owner of the vehicle is allegedly employed by the Rehoboth Town Council,” he said.
The accused claimed he “bought” the 16 recovered sheep for N$ 2000 from a certain ‘Ephraim’ who is employed by a certain Arenoster on a cattle-post on a part of the resettlement farm Bosula.
This portion of Bosula has been allocated to Daryl Hansen and Arenoster hires the mentioned cattle post with a few camps from Hansen. Ephraim and a helper trekked the alleged stolen sheep for approximately 4 km to a kraal at the farmhouse of Bosula where the 4 accused in the picture loaded the sheep.
One farmworker of Bosula was arrested together with the two suspects from Arenosters cattle-post- Thus Monday night’s operations resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects while Clifford Fisch was nailed on Tuesday. All stock thieve unites have been informed about the latest breakthrough but have been told not to throw caution to the wind as more suspicious activities are apparent involving a bigger gang.
“The cooperation, the spirit and professionalism of all participating police officers was exemplary,” Ling observed yesterday, saying farmers are losing their cattle in big numbers incurring huge losses. New Era Reporter 2018-07-12 09:20:51 7 months ago